Black, Jewish Communication

CHICAGO — Beyond the problems that clearly exist between Chicago`s black and Jewish communities, the issue of communication--or lack of it--within each group may almost be as serious as the misunderstanding between them. Clarence Page`s sensitive and challenging call for dialogue in his Feb. 20 column underscores this fact dramatically. While varying sources of information--both black and Jewish--may as yet be unaware of them, a number of significant and creative efforts are, in fact, underway in our community to help bring our two communities back together, and I believe the record should be made clear.

A Black-Jewish Clergy dialogue, involving regular discussions between leading ministers, priests and rabbis, began last spring and has resumed its efforts--under the cochairmanship of myself, representing the Chicago Board of Rabbis, and Bishop Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Chicago. These encounters will continue to face squarely the social issues that divide us, as well as the spiritual and moral ideals that bind our two peoples together.

In addition, the Urban Agenda Commission has been established under the cosponsorship of the Chicago Urban League and the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. Its two task forces will be geared to developing economic cooperation between black and Jewish business leaders and increasing employment opportunities, as well as initiating an ongoing series of cultural exchanges

--among them joint exhibitions between the DuSable Museum of African American History and the Spertus Museum of Judaica, and joint dialogue programs between black churches and synagogues.

Moreover, individual congregations in the community are reaching out to each other with a variety of creative efforts at mutual sharing and cooperation. There are many black and Jewish people in Chicago who, despite the rhetoric of ``leaders`` and the media, affirm the historic ties that bind us together and fully appreciate the moral imperative of our cooperation and coalition today and in the future. Many of us have an answer to Mr. Page`s clearly expressed challenge. As Jews, Christians and Muslims, as blacks and whites, as Chicagoans and Americans--and ultimately as human beings--we have everything to lose if we continue our silence and misunderstanding and everything to gain if we work for a new era of understanding, cooperation and friendship.